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Independence, transparency and our model: an open response
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Independence, transparency and our model: an open response

Response to user José Ramón. Or how to find an ethical and sustainable path.

By Josep Maria Marimon·February 15, 2026·0 min
64117
José Ramón, first of all: thank you from the bottom of my heart for this question. It is legitimate, honest, and open, and I value it enormously. These types of questions are what force us to improve, both at a personal, professional, and communal level. I will try to live up to the challenge in my answer. And if I don't explain myself well, please, reply to me. You or anyone who reads this. I am the first one interested, ethically, in defining these limits that, just like you, make me uncomfortable. Your question pushes me to address it with all the transparency it deserves, and that is a gift. I want to start with real numbers. Of the more than 1,100 registered users, only 6.5% pay the 2€. There are two stores on the platform, and they each pay 45€. Professional technicians have practically not appeared. That is to say, for now, I largely fund the platform out of my own pocket. When I say that the 2€ help keep it ad-free, it is literally true: there are no banners, no ad-sense, no advertisers buying space. Regarding store visits and brand interviews. You are right that there is an area where dissemination and commercial visibility intersect. But I want to explain that store visits are the most requested and valued content by the community on YouTube. I don't do them because I get paid (I don't get paid for them), I do them because people are interested in them. Does the store benefit? Yes. Does the community benefit too? Yes, it does. I don't see a contradiction there, but rather an ecosystem where everyone gains something. Regarding the Audiophile Club events at stores. The businesses haven't charged us, nor have we charged them. They provide us with the space free of charge. They have the opportunity to present themselves to 25 people, yes, but we also need them because we don't have our own premises. However, we also encounter limitations on capacity and content due to their commercial interests. Precisely for this reason, I have already publicly announced that I am looking for independent spaces for upcoming meetings, to avoid these restrictions. Should I be more explicit in indicating when something is a commercial collaboration and when it is an independent opinion? Probably yes, and it's something I will work on. I also want to tell you that for now, I am actively looking for ways to generate income and make this sustainable. I don't want to hide this. The existence or not of these lines you are reading now and here depends solely on whether, at the beginning of the month, the server hosted in California finds funds in the current account. I am not Facebook, Google, or JBL; I am literally this: a separated father with three kids, a university professor, and a partner who helps me immensely to stay enthusiastic. The project grows organically, with more will than resources, and I make every decision trying to respect the community, the stores, and my daily finances. Warm regards.

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